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My mail rule works at the office but not on my phone

Outlook rules come in two flavours: client-side (only when Outlook is running on your laptop) and server-side (everywhere). Mixed rules look random.

Try this first

  1. 1Open your rules in Outlook and see which are marked 'client-only'. Those need a running Outlook.
  2. 2Try recreating the same rule server-side; some actions (like playing a sound) cannot, and force client-side.
  3. 3For rules that must work everywhere, keep actions simple (move, delete, mark) and they stay server-side.
  4. 4Test by closing your laptop and sending a test mail from another address. Does it land in the expected folder?

When to bring us in

Got thirty rules fighting each other? Not a one-step fix. Send us a list and we will clean it up.

See also

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